Legacy Community

The Legacy Partnership Project was established in 2015 to directly benefit women in the San Francisco Bay Area through partnerships with established non-profits who align with the IWF Northern California Legacy Foundation mission to improve the status of women and foster the development of future leaders. Legacy Partners are chosen via a rigorous selection process and receive a financial commitment through the Legacy Foundation. In addition, Partners are invited to leverage IWF NorCal members' deep expertise across professions and industries. The Legacy Foundation collaborates with our chosen Partner to offer IWF NorCal Legacy Partner Engagement activities throughout the year.

Having selected several Legacy Partners--and having gotten to know other worthy finalists--we've found that the Legacy Foundation does not just select a Legacy Partner, but instead grows a Legacy Community.

Furthering the status and leadership of women is important to many IWF NorCal members. You are a valued member of the Legacy Community. We invite you to engage with our Legacy Partners individually or as part of the Annual Legacy Foundation Celebration.

Rise Up invests in visionary leaders and local solutions that advance health, education and equity for girls, youth and women. Rise Up furthers exponential change through leadership development, capacity building grant-making, and advocacy.

After 10 years of operating globally, Rise Up has expanded their efforts locally, advancing social justice and improving education, equity and opportunity for girls and women in Northern and Central California through their Gender Equity Initiative (GEI). In addition to receiving a $20,000 grant from the Legacy Foundation, Rise Up connects with IWF NorCal members through Legacy Partner Engagement, allowing members to learn firsthand about the most pressing needs of women and girls locally, and share their expertise with leaders building innovative solutions.

GirlVentures' mission is to inspire girls to lead through outdoor adventure, inner discovery, and collective action. They use nature as a catalyst to build girls' confidence, courage, and empathy--equipping them to succeed in school and beyond. To learn more about GirlVentures, contact IWF NorCal's Kathy Anderson, who serves as a Board member.

FLY's mission is to prevent juvenile crime and incarceration through legal education, one-on-one mentoring, and leadership training. Girls are the fastest growing demographic in the criminal justice system. FLY's vision is that the most at-risk and disadvantaged youth will transform into positive community leaders. To learn more about FLY, contact Christa Gannon Founder and CEO.

As the preeminent leadership development organization for girls globally, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success.

One of the largest councils, Girl Scouts of Northern California serves 44,000 girls (ages 5–17) in 19 counties. While many girls participate via traditional summer camps and volunteer led troops, Girl Scouts also offers innovative programs to support our community’s most vulnerable girls. The Legacy Foundation supported Girl Scouts'Got Choices program in San Francisco and Alameda counties, a prevention and intervention program for high-risk girls involved in the juvenile justice system. The program is designed to reduce risky behaviors, increase protective factors, and support positive decision-making.

Year Up is a national organization empowering low-income young adults to go from poverty to professional careers by connecting them with companies who need their talent.

Operating in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2008, Year Up Bay Area offers an intensive one-year training program that provides low-income young adults, ages 18-24, with a combination of hands-on skill development, coursework eligible for college credits, corporate internships, and wrap-around support. Year Up students train on campuses in San Francisco, Silicon Valley (San Jose) and Diablo Valley (Pleasant Hill), obtaining positions at firms such as LinkedIn, Salesforce, Google, Facebook, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California and Charles Schwab. In partnership with the Legacy Foundation, seven IWF members serving mentored Year Up staff, focusing on leadership development and career skills.

To learn more about Year Up Bay Area, contact IWF NorCal's Kirsten Wolberg, who serves as a Year Up Bay Area board member.

We encourage all IWF NorCal members to ENGAGE with our Legacy Community.

DONATE to the Legacy Foundation and support our current Legacy Partner